Observations and musings on the state of American education from a veteran teacher who has taught in the inner-city amidst poverty and violence, in a large suburban, diverse, and successful comprehensive high school, and in an elite, exclusive private school.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

I have spent a lot of time working on achievement gaps and
culturally responsive instruction. Most
often this means addressing the needs of lower quartile students. But what if we look at these issues from another
perspective? What if we consider the
needs of students at the top? Here in
Silicon Valley that often means students who are children of immigrants, often
from India, China, Korea and Eastern Europe.
In the bubble of Silicon Valley, particularly in its private schools,
these students often achieve at amazing levels.
They go often to Cal, the Ivy League, USC, the University of Chicago and
other elite institutions. What will they
encounter? Will their backgrounds be
respected? Will they be prepared for a
different sort of diversity in Chicago, Manhattan or New Haven? How will they react the first time someone
assumes they’re Japanese or Latino or African-American? What will these experiences mean to them? How can we better prepare them for diversity
and adversity? Will they be prepared to
appropriately interact with peoples they’ve only seen on TV? What stereotypes do they harbor that we must
address before they take the next step to adulthood?

The I, Too, Am
Harvard project highlights some of the issues students of African-American
backgrounds experience when they reach Harvard.
What issues might our Silicon Valley students encounter? How can we help them navigate the minefield
of race, culture and ethnicity?

I don’t have the answers, but I am spending a lot of time
thinking about it. What thoughts do you
have?

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About Me

I have been a secondary social studies teacher for 20 years. I've done a little of everything including some consulting and speaking work, building leadership and curriculum writing. I believe we are at an ideal time to transform American education and help it meet the needs of our every-changing, ever-challenging student body.